Do you worry a lot?

Many of us worry. The rates vary, but in western countries between 14 and 29% of us
are likely to suffer from an anxiety problem in our lifetime.1 So if you’re a worrier, don’t worry - you’re not alone.

Meditation for anxiety can help with these feelings, but first let’s learn a bit more about worry and anxiety.

Mindfulness & Anxiety

One recent study, published in the Psychological Bulletin, combined the findings of 163 different
studies. These suggested that mindfulness-meditation practice had an overall substantial positive effect
on improving psychological factors including negative personality traits, anxiety and stress.2

Why do we worry?

We’re born worriers. Scientists believe that our brains have evolved
a “negativity bias”, meaning we’re drawn to threats more than opportunities.

We’re likely to detect negative information faster than positive information
and generally have a background level of anxiety as our brain monitors the environment for possible
threats.

The positive effects of mindfulness

Another study, conducted by researchers at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, taught
mindfulness to a group of people with clinical levels of anxiety and found that 90% experienced
significant reductions in anxiety - and depression too.3

It’s in our genes.

This negativity bias was helpful for our ancestors, as they lived in an extremely
threatening environment. Some were prone to unnecessary worrying, and upon hearing a rustle in the
bushes, might fear the worst and think something like, “Sabre-tooth tiger! Run!” As a
result, they were more likely to survive and pass on their worry genes down to us (even though nine
times out of 10 the noise was probably nothing more than a squirrel!).

Then there were our other ancestors who didn’t worry as much, and assumed the
rustling meant they’d found a squirrel for lunch. They might have got it right nine times out of
10, but the one time they got it wrong, they got it seriously wrong. So, they were less likely to pass
their genes down to us than the worriers.

Although the environment’s changed and we’re safer
than ever before, our brains haven’t adapted and they’re still constantly on the lookout for
threats and reasons to worry.

How can mindfulness help with anxiety management?

Numerous scientific studies have found meditation to be effective for treating
anxiety. One group of US researchers looked at how mindfulness had helped with anxiety management
across various types of people: from those suffering with cancer, to those with social anxiety
disorders and eating issues.

They examined 39 scientific studies, totalling 1,140 participants and discovered
that the anxiety-reducing benefits from mindfulness might be enjoyed across such a wide range of
conditions because when you learn mindfulness, you learn how to work with difficulties and stress in
general.4

“Turning down” the worries

The bigger worriers of us out there often have greater reactivity in a part of our
brains called the amygdala, which triggers fear. Neuroscientists at Stanford University found that
people who practised mindfulness meditation for 8 weeks were more able to turn down the reactivity
of this area.5 Other researchers, from Harvard University, have
found that mindfulness can actually physically reduce the number of neurons in this fear-triggering
part of our brains.6

If you’re an anxious sort, you needn’t let your worries get to
you. Just treat your head right by getting mindful with Headspace.